HIROSHIMA and MIYAJIMA PAGE 1/ 4 PG-603 HIROSHIMA and MIYAJIMA Hiroshima (広島), the world-renowned “City of Peace”, is the 1954. Hiroshima now forms an important center of administra- largest city in the western end of the Japanese mainland. It has tion, education, communication and tourism in that part of the enjoyed a miraculous rebirth as a modern thriving city with a country and the visitor is always assured of excellent hotel population of well over 1,137,000 (as of May 2003) due to the accommodations, delicious food and many sightseeing attrac- bold and far-sighted city-building programs worked out since tions. Access from Tokyo to Hiroshima: By JR Shinkansen: From Tokyo Sta. 5 hrs. by Hikari (¥18,050), 4 hrs. by Nozomi (¥19,680). By Airplane: 1 hr. 25 min. (from Haneda Airport to Hiroshima Airport), ¥28,300. Access to Hiroshima Sta. (city center) from Hiroshima Airport: 50 – 60 min. by bus, ¥1,300. Reservations: Tel. 0120-029-222 (ANA), 0120-5-11283 (JAS), 0120-25-5971 (JAL). By Bus: From Tokyo Sta. 12 hrs. by JR Exp-Bus New Breeze (¥12,060) (Overnight). Access from Kyoto and Osaka to Hiroshima: By JR Shinkansen: From Kyoto Sta. 2 hrs. 10 min. by Hikari (¥10,790), 1 hr. 40 min. by Nozomi (¥11,760). From Shin-Osaka Sta. 1 hr. 50 min. by Hikari (¥9,950), 1 hr. 20 min. by Nozomi (¥10,710). By Bus: From Kyoto Sta. 7 hrs. 30 min. by Exp-Bus (¥6,620) (Overnight). From Osaka (Abenobashi). 7 hrs. 10 min. by Exp-Bus (¥5,700) (Overnight). Recommended Sightseeing Route: Sea Route to and from Hiroshima 15 min. 10 min. 15 min. Matsuyama-Hiroshima ¥5,800 by superjet Hiroshima Sta. ...................................Shukkeien Garden...........................................Hiroshima Castle............................Peace Memorial Park boat (広島駅) walk (縮景園) walk (広島城) walk (平和記念公園) 16 services/day each way; 1 hr. 10 min. Matsuyama-Hiroshima ¥2,500 by ferry 35 min. 20 min. 10 services/day each way; 2 hrs. 40 min. ...........................................Hijiyama Park .....................................................Hiroshima Sta. walk ( ) walk ( ) Beppu-Hiroshima ¥8,500 by high-speed boat 比治山公園 広島駅 1 service/day each way; 2 hrs. 55 min. Service suspended in Feb. • Sightseeing by taxi with recorded English commentaries for the above-mentioned course is available. Reservations: Hiroshima Prefectural Private Taxi Corporation (Tel. 082-283-2311), Hiroko Taxi (Tel. 082-291-3232): 2-hrs. fare: ¥8,400 (small-sized car), ¥10,400 (mid-sized car) or Tsubame Taxi (Tel. 082-221-1955): 3-hrs. fare: ¥16,020 (mid-sized car). •Sunrise Tour (JTB Kansai Sunrise Center. Tel. 075-341-1413); Sightseeing tour by bus (with English-speaking guide) Departure from Hotel Granvia Hiroshima (10:50 a.m., operated on Sat., Sun., Tue. and Fri. during mid Mar. – late Nov.) 1. One-day tour: Hiroshima (Peace Memorial Park only) and Miyajima (¥14,500/¥12,400 children) 2. Half-day tour: Miyajima (¥8,200/¥6,200 children) • Hiroshima Streetcar: Streetcar is convenient for city sightseeing. ¥150 for a ride on City Line; ¥210 for Miyajima Line. Transfer (specified stations oniy):pay ¥150 when getting off and ask for a transfer ticket. One-day pass is ¥600 and is valid for all the streetcar lines including Miyajima Line which terminates at Hiroden Miyajima-guchi Sta. Places of Interest: Hiroshima Castle (広島城), also called “Rijo” (Carp Castle), Shukkeien Garden (縮景園), 15-min. walk or 5 min. by bus from Hiroshima Sta., was originally designed in 1620 by 10 min. by bus or by streetcar from Hiroshima Station, was Nagaakira Asano, a feudal lord ruling this district. Later emerg- completed in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, a feudal lord. It served as ing in its present form, the garden covers an area of 4 ha. and the residence of the Asano family for more than 250 years until is registered as a Scenic Place. It is situated on Kyobashi River, the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The interior of the five-story don- from which water is drawn to create streams and ponds with- jon, reconstructed in its original style, has been used as a local in its enclosure. The islets and bridges, the swimming carp and museum, but the castle and its precincts now serve as a public the surrounding woods combine to lend a special beauty to park. From the top, visitors can obtain a view of Hiroshima the garden. Open: 9:00 – 18:00 (Apr. – Sept., no entrance after Harbor and Miyajima Island on Hiroshima Bay as well as the 17:30), 9:00 – 17:00 (Oct. – Mar., no entrance after 16:30). panorama of the whole city. Open: 9:00 – 17:30 (Apr. – Sep.), Admission: ¥250. Closed Dec. 29–Jan. 3. 9:00 – 16:30 (Oct. – Mar.). Admission: ¥320. Closed: Dec. 29 – Jan. 2. Last admission is 30min. before closing time. Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum (広島県立美術館) was opened in 1968. This urban style art museum is located in the Peace Memorial Park (平和記念公園), 15 min. by streetcar or by center of Hiroshima City, adjacent to the lush green Shukkeien bus from Hiroshima Sta., or 15-min. walk from Hiroshima Park. Open: 9:00 - 17:00 (Sat.: 9:00–19:00); enter 30min. Castle, was laid out after the Pacific War at the northernmost cor- before closing time. Closed: Mondays (except for holidays and ner of the delta separating the affluence of the Ota River into days exchanged for holiday), Dec. 28 - Jan. 4. Admission for two additional branches—the Motoyasu and Honkawa Rivers. permanent exhibition: ¥500. Tel. (082)221-6246. The park includes the modern Peace Memorial Museum (East & West Bldg.), Memorial Cenotaph for A-Bomb Victims and the Hiroshima International Peace and Culture Hall. Peace PAGE 2/ 4 HIROSHIMA and MIYAJIMA Memorial Museum is open 9:00 – 18:00 (Apr. – Jul.) & 8:30 – Bus Center to Kamiyasu Sta., then 10 min. by bus, is home to 18:00 (Aug 16 – Nov., no entrance after 17:30), 9:00 – 17:00 (Dec. – nearly 1,100 wild animals mostly from Africa in its compound of Mar., no entrance after 16:30). Open 8:30 – 19:00 between Aug.1 – 256,000 sq.m surrounded by low mountains. The animals are not Aug.15. Closed: Dec. 29 – Jan. 2. Admission: ¥50. Tel. (082)241-4004. confined to standard-type cages. Open: 9:00 – 16:30 (No Rental audio guide is available in 17 languages. ¥300. entrance after 16:00). Closed: Thur. (When Thur. falls on a Atomic Bomb Dome (原爆ドーム), 15 min. by bus or street- national holiday, it will be closed on the previous day.) and Dec. car from Hiroshima Sta., stands completely gutted. The concrete 29 – Jan. 1. Admission: ¥440. section was burnt and even melted, leaving the skeletal steel Other Places to Visit in the Vicinity: frame exposed against the sky. The dome is situated at Kintai Bridge (錦帯橋), 15 min. by bus from Iwakuni Sta., was Otemachi near the eastern edge of Aioi Bridge, which was originally constructed in 1673 by Hiroyoshi Kikkawa, a feudal approximately the epicenter of the atomic explosion of August lord of the district, for the purpose of protecting the residents 6, 1945. It is the only atomic-bombed building in the city that has from flooding by Nishiki River. The bridge is 193 m long, 5 m been permitted to stand. A-bomb Dome was registered as a wide and 12 m above the water at the highest point. To erect UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1996. the bridge, no nails were used at all; instead, some clamps and Memorial Cenotaph for A-Bomb Victims (原爆死没者慰霊碑): wires were employed as fasteners. During the three months Under the huge vault, shaped like the figurine clay saddles found in from June to August, demonstrations of cormorant fishing are ancient tombs, a stone chest has been placed containing the roll of held under the bridge. Reconstruction work is going on untill those killed by the atomic bomb. On the front of the chest is an epi- 2004, but the bridge can be walked across using partly the alter- taph inscribed in Japanese, which means “Repose ye in peace, for the native passage. Bridge toll: ¥220. error shall not be repeated.” Sandankyo (三段峡), a gorge designated as an “Outstanding Hiroshima Museum of Art (ひろしま美術館), mainly exhibits Scenic Place,” is situated on the upper reaches of Ota River, 73 European modern art including Impressionism from the begin- km northwest of Hiroshima. Noted for its scenic beauty, created ning of the 19th century to the present day. Open: 9:00–17:00. by the fresh verdure and natural colors in season and a number (enter before 16:30) Closed: Dec. 29 – Jan.2 . Admission: ¥1,000. of fine waterfalls and rapid streams, the gorge can be reached by Hijiyama Park (比治山公園), 15 min. by streetcar from bus in 2 hrs. from Hiroshima Bus Center. It can be reached in 2 Hiroshima Sta., forms a small hill situated in the eastern part of hrs. 10 min. via JR Sanyo Honsen Line and Kabe Line to the city. A drive leads to the summit, and from the southern Sandankyo Sta. (63.2 km), the terminal of Kabe Line. The gorge crown, the visitor can obtain a fine view of most of the city, extends for 16 km and must be traversed on foot. Microbus ser- including Peace Boulevard. The hillside is covered with multi- vice to Deaibashi is available (around Apr. 20–Nov. 20). tudes of cherry trees, making it a popular place in the city for the Sandankyo is the best place for fall hiking when the leaves turn viewing of cherry blossoms. red.